What's new in your community? Find out here at the Shopper News blog. We'll have updates on people, places, businesses, schools and sports in your community. Check back throughout the week.

FARRAGUT

Farragut mayor’s race heats up as Markli announces candidacy

Margie Hagen, Shopper News correspondent

Politics in Farragut just got a lot more compelling as Alderman Robert (Bob) Markli filed his petition last week to run for the office of mayor. He’s vying for the seat also being sought by Alderman Ron Williams. In an open letter to the citizens of Farragut, Markli laid out his purpose and motives for entering the race:

“Thank you for the singular privilege of serving you as an elected Alderman for the last 9 years following two hotly contested and close elections. During that time and under the able leadership of Mayor Ralph McGill, the Board of Mayor and Aldermen have accomplished much good and maintained a steady forward progress for the Town we all love and call home.

“I have remarked several times recently how fortunate we are to have such devoted and capable leadership. I have come to know Alderman Ron Pinchok, now completing his first term, as an honorable and dedicated counterpart. Both newcomers, Aldermen Louise Povlin and Ron Williams, have gained my respect as tireless workers willing to make the connections and get the education they need to fill their positions competently. They are individuals of highest integrity dedicated to the trust you have placed in them, and are both of high personal attainment.”

Originally planning to step aside, Markli noted that many residents have encouraged him to run. “It wasn’t until the week before the qualifying deadline for the upcoming election that the following unsettling reality sunk in: Mayor and two Alderman positions open and unopposed,” he stated.

Markli went on to say, “What this means to the citizens of the Town is that a fourth member would then be appointed by the new Board to fill Alderman Williams unexpired term thus comprising a new Board with four out of five of its members for all intents and purposes unelected, and the fifth not having yet filled even a single full term.

“This coupled with the fact that there are some serious issues facing this new Board, some unfinished business needing attention, and in the interest of continuity and preserving the hard-won progress the Town has made, my choice was suddenly very clear.”

An outspoken fiscal conservative, Markli pledges to continue to support “small, lean and unobtrusive government” and “resist added or discriminatory tax burdens,” notably the hotel/motel occupancy tax being considered for nine Farragut businesses.

Both candidates have made their positions known; Williams is running to promote “smart growth with quality.” Catch up with recent BOMA meetings on YouTube to learn more. Voters, you will decide who leads the town next during early voting, July 13-28, or on Election Day, Aug. 2.

POWELL

Niche Boutique was the right fit for ex-teacher

Mike Blackerby, Shopper News correspondent

The customer always comes first at Niche Boutique Salon & Spa.

Lisa Wallace shows off her popular line of sports jewelry, including this rustic Tennessee pendent cut from tin.(Photo: Mike Blackerby/Shopper News)

“Our motto here is ‘you come as a guest and hopefully leave as a friend with a smile,’” said boutique owner Lisa Wallace.

“A customer is going to go where they feel welcome and appreciated. My No. 1 thing is you greet them as soon as they walk in the door. We strive for customer service.”

Niche, at 6767 Jubilee Center Way Suite 105 in Powell, celebrates its fifth anniversary in June.

Wallace, who previously was a teacher, coach and administrator at Bearden Middle School and Union County High School, forged an unlikely path in the boutique business.

On weekends during breaks from teaching, she went on the road, selling women’s jewelry, clothing and hand bags at regional and national events.

“We have trendy and Bohemian-style clothing,” said Wallace. “It’s a great place to look for casual and dressy looks for work. Size-wise we have small through large sizes and a curvy section with extra large through 3L.”

The boutique offers shoes, hats and bags to complement any outfit for any occasion.

Affordable, but quality jewelry is an emphasis at Niche.

“It’s probably my biggest passion,” said Wallace. “Accessories are what make your outfit. It’s like putting good tires on a car or wearing the right shoes.”

Wallace said she enjoys working with customers to find that perfect piece of jewelry to accessorize an outfit.

“One-on-one time is important to me. I just love putting things together.”

Wallace has many striking turquoise-and-silver pieces in her inventory. “I get a lot of handcrafted jewelry out west in places like Arizona. I try to get unique pieces that you can’t get anywhere else.”

Like sports jewelry.

The rustic pendants, cut from tin, feature SEC teams such as Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia.

Rings, bracelets, necklaces and other hard-to-find pieces of jewelry are offered at Niche, ranging in price from $8.99 to $38.99.(Photo: Mike Blackerby/Shopper News)

“A girl from Alabama makes them for me,” said Wallace, who calls herself a huge Tennessee fan.

Jewelry prices range from $8.99 to $38.99.

Niche also offers a wide range of services, including women’s and men’s haircuts and coloring, nail, manicure and pedicure procedures.

Niche is open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. Monday appointments are also available.

For more information, call 865-803-2532 or access Niche’s Facebook at nicheboutiquesalonandspa.com.

Fashion show May 20

A fashion show to benefit the local Young Life’s special needs program, Capernaum, will be 3 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 20, at the Jubilee Banquet Facility, 6700 Jubilee Center Way in Powell.

Even the youngest models had fun walking the red carpet at the Niche Boutique fashion show, May, 2017.(Photo: Ruth White)

Young Life Capernaum gives young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities the chance to experience fun and adventure, to develop fulfilling friendships and to challenge their limits while building self-esteem through club, camp and other exciting activities.

All proceeds from the fashion show, which is sponsored by Niche Boutique Salon & Spa of Powell, will go to Young Life Capernaum.

To buy tickets to the event, access nicheboutiquesalonandspa.com or call Niche at 865-803-2532 for information.

KARNS

Karns Elementary offers blended preschool

Nancy Anderson, Shopper News correspondent

Spring means it’s roundup time at Karns Elementary School. More than 20 kids accompanied by a parent signed up for one of two pre-kindergarten classes offered by the school.

“Today is just about signing up,” said teacher Tish Cooper. “No one is guaranteed a spot today, but we’re here to answer questions and help parents get a jump on enrollment. Space is limited to 32 kids so those signing up today are ahead of the game.”

The classes feature a High Scope curriculum, which is child based and child-led.

“You have to be patient, flexible, and pay attention to be a High Scope teacher. The class is child-led. That means if I notice the kids have an interest in bugs, we’ll talk about bugs and use bugs to cover all the state standards. That is we’ll count the bugs, and pattern the bugs, color the bugs, that sort of thing."

Preschool seems to be a win-win for parents and children alike. It teaches independence, social skills, learning to learn skills, such as following directions, staying on task, and completing a task. Parents get the opportunity to have a little independence from the child from 7:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Monday through Friday knowing their child is in safe hands.

While both classes feature a High Scope curriculum, the blended class includes special needs children who may have developmental, language, or physical delays.

More advanced children act as Peer Models.

Cooper said, “A Peer Model is someone who makes good choices, knows how to follow directions and can help their peers who may not necessarily be great at following directions or walking in a line or sitting or whatever the task at hand might be.

“We want the more advanced students helping out the less advanced students. Sort of like a big brother or sister would.

“We really don’t have to push that as teachers. They naturally want to help each other. Each child develops differently.”

Each class has up to 16 children, but no more than half will have special needs.

Justin Dunaway, 4, waits patiently as his mother Jessi Gordon enrolls him in one of two Pre-Kindergarten classes available at Karns Elementary School.(Photo: Nancy Anderson/Shopper News)

“It’s really good for special needs kids to be incorporated with typically developing kids. It makes a world of difference in their progress and it gives them a chance to be around kids their own age," Cooper said.

“The more advanced kids learn what leadership is at a very young age.

“We’re building a tolerance of everyone. We’re all different, we’re all beautiful, we’re all special. It’s a community. It’s an amazing program and I really believe in it.”

https://www.knoxschools.org/karnses

BEARDEN

West Hills activist, TVA retiree never sits for long

Just as he has for more than 50 years, Jim Boehms continues to stay involved with his home community of West Hills.

In recent months, he has attended some of the various neighborhood meetings and gatherings, was a representative from his Buckingham Retirement Community until recently, and can often be found walking at the West Hills Greenway with a neighbor.

Jim Boehms at his home on April 4, 2018.(Photo: John Shearer/Shopper News)

While a lot of neighborhood residents do all that, Boehms (pronounced like beams) has one difference from most others – he is 94 years old.

However, some people tell him he looks younger than that. “I get that all the time,” he remarked in his low-key and easy-going manner.

A few are also impressed with what he can do for his age. A couple of years ago, he said he and a friend had hiked the Abrams Falls trail in the Great Smoky Mountains, and some younger hikers did a double take after seeing them resting on a rock far from any automobile.

“Two couples walked up, and one of the young ones said, ‘How did you get here,’ ” he recalled with a chuckle.

Jim Boehms at his home on April 4.(Photo: John Shearer/Shopper News)

The slender Boehms credits good genes as well as healthy eating and regular exercise for his active longevity. The second factor came about primarily through his late wife, Lyla, who died in 2014 after battling Alzheimer’s disease. From Beloit, Wis., she was a food and nutrition major and taught at the University of Tennessee.

“She fed us by the pyramid,” he said.

The two had met when his church, Church Street United Methodist, and hers, Second Presbyterian, held a joint social event for young adults. They were married in 1956 and eventually settled at Church Street after going to both churches for a period.

He remains active at Church Street and still attends the Sunday and Wednesday services regularly and helps with the “Soup Kitchen” lunch program feeding the homeless and others every Thursday.

“I’ve been helping about 16-17 years,” he said, adding that he helps with the dishwashing. “They figured I could pull dishes out of the dishwasher. They don’t let me cook.”

He calls the work a rewarding way of serving people not as well off as others.

Originally from Hickman County in Middle Tennessee, Boehms has been serving in some way since he was young. After high school, he became part of the National Youth Administration’s New Deal program that included working while attending Tennessee Tech in Cookeville.

When the program was discontinued, he went to Omaha, Neb., to make the B-26 plane and later became an airplane mechanic with the Army Air Corps during World War II. Among the bases he was stationed at were Kelly Field and the San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center at what is now Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, and Ellington Field in Houston.

Boehms came to Knoxville in 1951 to work for TVA and, until his retirement in 1984, did electrical engineering design work for coal-fired steam plants under construction.

“My job was to be part of the ‘wiring’ squad,” he said with a laugh.

He and his wife raised two sons, Jimmy and John, and they moved to 7027 Rockingham Drive in West Hills in 1967 about the time Jimmy was old enough to start school at nearby West Hills Elementary.

“It was a good school, and our thinking was that the boys could walk to school. However, Jimmy took up the French horn and John took up the trombone,” he said, adding that the instruments had to be transported.

Among the other family activities, Lyla was a Cub Scout den mother, and one of the neighborhood children involved in the pack was a son of then-UT football coach Doug Dickey, he recalled, adding that the group used to gather at their home.

In 2008, the Boehmses sold the residence and moved to a home in the lower-maintenance Buckingham community.

Some 34 years after retiring from helping TVA produce energy, though, his personal energy still seems strong.

That has included staying active in all the goings-on in West Hills.

“This is just a great place to live,” he said. “It’s close to shopping, close to schools and they kept it residential. And we’ve had some good neighbors.”

Dogwood trail leads to memories for one family

Margie Hagen, Shopper News correspondent

Most people seek out the Dogwood Arts trail for springtime beauty, but for one Farragut family, their garden is a source of memories from childhood and world travels. Mary and Michael Bates have been cultivating their showpiece garden for the past 25 years and have been a longtime featured home on the popular trail.

Springtime means the dogwoods are in bloom.(Photo: Submitted by Mary Bates)

As owners of Michael Bates Homes, the couple built their own home on a double lot at 513 Altamira Drive. Before their retirement, the Bateses’ construction company worked extensively in Farragut. “We always saved as many trees as we could, and all the dogwoods were transplanted,” said Michael. An abundance of the native dogwoods went to subdivisions including Farragut Crossing, Weatherly Hills and Altamira.

As a young girl, Mary’s early remembrances are of helping in her family’s garden. “My first love was always the flowers,” she said. “Hollyhocks, sunflowers and fragrant red roses shared space with birds, bees and small woodland animals. We often had visitors who brought pass-along plants to share and then left with a bit of our garden.”

Mary and Michael Bates’ grandson is the fifth generation of the family to enjoy the gardens.(Photo: Submitted by Mary Bates)

And so it began. On a later trip to New Zealand, the couple “fell in love” with the many rose gardens found in Christchurch. Today over 100 varieties of hybrid tea roses and floribunda flourish alongside the woodland plantings at the Bateses’ home. “Farragut is such a beautiful town,” Mary said. “We love doing our part to enhance the natural beauty here.”

Relying on local experts in the early years, Mary is now an expert herself. A member of the American and Tennessee Rose Societies and American Hydrangea Society, she is a consulting Rosarian, judge and author of numerous horticultural articles. So what advice does she have for the rest of us?

“With yellow sticky soil, beds have to be amended before planting,” said Mary. “Mulch with organics. We have lots of leaves every fall so we just use them to mulch and define the beds. By the next August they have turned into rich soil. Each year we winterize the roses with shredded pine bark and in February add a thick layer of aged horse manure.”

For gardens with both sun and shade, Mary shares knowledge gleaned from her grandmother: “Watch how the sun passes over the garden throughout the day and plant in spots with the most sun. Roses will grow with just a few hours of sun if you amend the soil, but don’t plant under a tree canopy.”

Pink and white dogwood trees grace the yard. “We loved the pink dogwoods seen growing throughout the North Knoxville dogwood trails, so they were one of the first additions to our garden,” said Mary Bates.(Photo: Submitted by Mary Bates)

When asked what plants she loves most, Mary replied, “My favorite is whatever is in bloom. A garden does take you on a journey down memory lane as favorites bloom every year.”

The Bateses welcome the public to view dogwoods, azaleas, spring bulbs and perennials in their open garden during daylight hours through April 30. Most of the garden is level and easy to walk. See the rose gardens starting Mother’s Day weekend, May 11-13, and the following weekend, May 18-20, 513 Altamira Drive.

Be the leader you were meant to be

Matt Best, Shopper News columnist

There is a secret to being a successful leader. Fortunately for you I'm feeling pretty generous so I'll share it with you. Before I just give it away, though, I'm curious as to what you think it might be.

Matthew Best(Photo: Submitted)

Are all great leaders strong? Do they have to be decisive? Is the key to great leadership being personable? Or perhaps you need to be the best communicator, always capable of commanding a room with your presence.

I'm sure there are many more characteristics that would probably make the top of your ideal leadership list. But the real question I have is this: How many people naturally possess everything on your list?

Probably no one.

If leadership is based on amassing all these various traits, then we're all pretty much disqualified. And that creates an issue if we believe that God has called all of us to be leaders in some capacity.

That's why the secret to being the leader that God desires us to be starts with being ourselves. We are all uniquely created and designed, so we do ourselves and everyone else a disservice when we try to become something we are not.

The fact of the matter is that most of the attributes we listed as positive are really neutral. Because a personality trait or natural gifting can be used well or it can be mishandled. A charming individual can use his communication skills to motivate or to manipulate. An extroverted person can add energy to a group or drain it by sucking all the air out of the room.

What really matters is how we surrender our personality, our talents and our influence to God so that He might be glorified in how we lead. God can and will fill the gaps that we have in our leadership if we just acknowledge our need for Him.

And in order to do that, we must spend the appropriate time getting to know ourselves.

So rather than constantly making a list of all the things we aren’t and the ways we would love to change, why don’t we take some time to really appreciate the way that God made us? However loud or quiet, shy or outgoing, organized or free-flowing you might be, there are people out there who need what you have to offer. And God knew that long before you ever did.

Matthew Best is an ordained elder at Children of God Ministries in Knoxville. He works for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship at UT as well as Emerald Youth Foundation. You can find more of Matthew’s work and support his ministry at ministerandmuse.com.

KARNS

Eggapalooza expands as community celebration

Nancy Anderson, Shopper News correspondent

More than 12,000 kids and adults gathered at Karns High School for the second annual Eggapalooza Easter egg hunt and carnival Saturday, March 31.

Ten thousand eggs, 4,000 more than last year, were stuffed with candy by Fellowship Church Pellissippi and Karns High School volunteers then “hidden” in three fields, allowing for division of age groups.

“I like that my kids got to hunt eggs with kids their own age, they weren’t being run over by the bigger kids,” said Andrew Tinsley.

Griffin Henderson, 1, makes bunny noses with the help of Mati Suranofsky, 17. “It’s a lot of fun today and HOSA is more than happy to help out,” said Suranofsky.(Photo: Nancy Anderson/Shopper News)

The free event is one of several planned by Fellowship Church Pellissippi in conjunction with Karns High School in an effort to bring the community together for fun and fellowship on the school campus.

“The church and the school are really coming together to be part of the community," Tinsley said. "The church has been especially helpful to the theater department at the school. They’ve made some improvements to the sound system and help with the upkeep.

Interested in this topic? You may also want to view these photo galleries:

“I think it’s a phenomenal partnership. It’s great, too, because the church holds their services at the school. I think that’s better than spending so much money on giant buildings when there is space already available. Events like this one that brings the community together is a much better use (of funds).”

The kids were treated to carnival games such as the Easter egg toss, cornhole, and whiffle ball sponsored by various high school groups such as Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA).

One thousand hot dog lunches were given out, twice as many as last year.

“We have a thousand lunches to give out today,” said volunteer Lindsay Cannon. “Last year there was still a very long line after we handed out 500 lunches. I was surprised there were so many people here on our first year.

Scarlett Tuesburg, 2, is all smiles filling her Easter Bunny basket with candy filled eggs at Eggapalooza held at Karns High School Saturday, March 31.(Photo: Nancy Anderson/Shopper News)

“This year is even bigger and better. A lot of preparation went into the day, but it’s a labor of love for all of us at Fellowship Church. We enjoy doing it for the community. Being a real part of the community is important to us and it’s important for us all to come together for this exciting weekend of celebrating Jesus’ death and resurrection."

Third generation takes over Fountain City insurance agency

Ali James, Shopper News correspondent

CL Butcher Insurance has been a constant on Hotel Avenue since it was founded in 1951. Carl L. Butcher Sr. started his agency in a brick building a few doors down from where The Creamery once stood. Then, in the 1970s, it moved to the corner across from Gresham Middle School.

Newly appointed agency owner Leslie Duncan has many childhood memories of her family’s business. “My grandfather used to go and collect customers’ payments, so they didn’t even have to come in,” said Duncan.

And she recalls helping herself to glass bottled Cokes in the office kitchen. “There was a notch at the bottom of the kitchen cabinets where we would open them.”

While at Gresham, Duncan remembers walking down to the office after school. “I would do my homework, put postage on mail and do any filing,” she said. “By that time my grandfather was retired; he would come in and aggravate people and I would just hang out with him.”

Leslie Butcher-Duncan, agency owner of CL Butcher, with her team, Stacy Casteel, Amanda Monzon and Cindy McGill. Duncan is the third generation to run the CL Butcher insurance agency in Fountain City.(Photo: Ali James/Shopper News)

When her father, Carl Butcher, managed the family business, she offered to be his receptionist. “I was working in a bank at the time, but he said 'no,'” she said. “I mailed in my resume and had to come in for an interview — he treated me like everybody else.

"Once I got my license and started working with people, I told my husband we will never move, I was going to stay here.”

Butcher was more than happy to retire and pass the baton to his daughter this past February. “I have been involved in the agency since I was 6 years old and felt it was time for a change,” he said. “Leslie is more qualified to run the agency than I was in 1983.” Duncan has 19 years’ experience in the agency and has worked in every facet of the business.

Duncan prefers to focus on her agency’s personalized approach than to compete with national companies. “We work for the customer and shop 20 insurance carriers to find what’s best for our clients,” she said. “They don’t have to spend their day looking for insurance, they can request a quote online and we start working on it for them.”

In the 1970s, CL Butcher Insurance moved to its current location on the corner across from Gresham Middle School.(Photo: Ali James/Shopper News)

Duncan is revamping the business website. “Our customers contact us via the website to file a claim, request a quote — and our commercial customers can request a certificate of insurance — 24 hours a day,” she said.

In an effort to maintain the agency’s strong Fountain City roots, Duncan connects to the local community via CL Butcher’s Facebook page. “Nobody wants to read about insurance,” she said. “But they do want to see things about what’s going on in the community. I got a lot of likes once I started posting things about the football team at Central and things going on in our area.

“I’ve always loved that we are not an 800 number,” she said. “That if you are unhappy with something, usually you will see me at the grocery store or at the ballpark. I get to know my customers; they are in my cell phone and friends on Facebook.”

Fourth-grader's art to fly into space

Luke Akard recently made one small sketch for art, but the patch he drew will soon be making a giant leap for mankind into space, to loosely paraphrase the late astronaut Neil Armstrong.

The patch Luke Akard designed last year, showing the Sunsphere and a Power T, won second place.(Photo: John Shearer/Shopper News)

The Blue Grass Elementary fourth-grader found out early last month in a surprise during the school announcements that he had won the district uniform patch design contest put on by the Student Spaceflight Experiments Program.

The winning work will be traveling to the International Space Station as part of the SSEP’s Mission 12 flight in June and will be signed by astronauts on board and certified.

Luke Akard and mother Kathy Akard outside their home with certificate(Photo: John Shearer/Shopper News)

While hopeful he would do well with his two entries after finishing second last year in the competition, he was still quite surprised when he was notified.

“I didn’t know anything about it. It kind of surprised me,” he said with a laugh during a recent interview from his home. “I was speechless.”

The SSEP age group competition that led to the award was coordinated locally through the Blue Grass Gifted and Talented program under multi-school coach Meredith Whaley and the Knox County Schools Office of Innovation. Among the criteria for the patch were that it had to focus on science and technology as well as community.

For his winning patch, Akard drew a scene of a circular Earth with American and Tennessee flags planted in Knoxville. A spaceship is shown heading to the Space Station, and “Knoxville, TN” is written in the bottom right corner.

Last year’s patch that finished second included such local scenes as Neyland Stadium and the Sunsphere, but he drew the moon as the destination of the spaceship instead of the Space Station. As a result, he and his mother, Kathy Akard, think that might have hurt him.

While excited knowing his work will be sent to space and he will get to attend the liftoff that is tentatively scheduled for June 9 in Cape Canaveral, Fla., he is quite content staying near his home and enjoying doing art.

Among his other honors in the field, he won the “Smartest Artist” award as a third-grader at the school last year under teacher Hannah Barker.

“He draws a lot,” said Kathy Akard, who is a painter. “He even makes his own books and illustrates and writes them. He is so creative.”

For Luke, art is simply an enjoyable way to pass the time.

“It takes time and makes the time go by. And a lot of times it can be funny,” he said.

He likes to do a little tracing with his feet as well in the form of hiking on trails. The youngster – who also plays football and baseball – is attempting to hike with his father, Kevin, all of the roughly 800-900 miles of trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

He has also picked up over 110 badges in the National Park System’s Junior Ranger program.

But nothing right now compares with the paper patch he designed himself.

“When they said I had won, I was really excited,” he said with a smile.

Library's Used Book Shop celebrates 10 years

Carol Z. Shane, Shopper News correspondent

“It was pretty bleak looking,” says Maggie Carini, president of Knox County Public Library’s Friends of the Library. “It had been a vending area and it was dark – not very welcoming at all. But Brian Pittman – probably the most prominent architect in town – sat down with me. I still have the napkin where he sketched his first ideas for the space.”

Security guard David Bryant takes advantage of an unexpected perk: a piece of birthday cake. With him is Myretta Black, KCPL director.(Photo: Carol Z. Shane/Shopper News)

Carini is speaking of the early days of Lawson McGhee Library’s Rothrock Used Book Shop, which is located in a bright, cozy corner on the building’s first floor. The “little book shop with the big bargains” culls its inventory carefully from library holdings, with many books and media offered for less than $2. On Wednesday, April 4, many Friends as well as library director Myretta Black and assistant director for public service Nelda Hill were there to celebrate the shop’s 10th birthday.

“You all have been our best friends for 40 years and we appreciate that,” said Black. “Your vision for ‘the little bookstore at LML’ was wonderful and all of these folks set about to make it possible. We thank you for your support and also for your passion for libraries, books, and reading. Without you we would not be able to do the great things that we do.”

Sorters and FOL members Jean Idell and Suzanne Freeman discuss the best way to deal with a set of Childcraft books that is missing one volume.(Photo: Carol Z. Shane/Shopper News)

Attendees enjoyed a cake in the shape of an open book as they mingled and shared memories.

“We didn’t really have any idea whether the shop could be a success,” said Carini, “but I always thought, ‘we can do this.’ And we did it with the same kind of people I’m looking at today – the willing, competent, loyal volunteers that make this place run. I think everybody here should just thank each other!”

Friends of the Library Annual Used Book Sale

This weekend continuing into Tuesday, the Friends of the Library will present their Annual Used Book Sale.

Friends of the Library president Maggie Carini holds a plaque with a quote from Mary Utopia Rothrock, the American librarian and historian for whom the shop is named.(Photo: Carol Z. Shane/Shopper News)

The sale is preceded by a flurry of sorting and organizing. Jean Idell, who has been a member of the FOL since 1992, walks through the ceiling-high metal shelves full of books in the basement of Lawson McGhee Library. “We call this ‘the dungeon,’” she says. “It’s our home away from home!”

Maggie Carini, FOL president, says being a member of the FOL is a valuable way to support the community in this often-contentious national time. “With the library, it doesn’t matter – it’s here for everybody, every age, every stripe. That’s why we do it; I think that’s why we’re so great. And we can make that tent bigger every day.”

The Friends of the Library Annual Used Book Sale runs 10 a.m.-6 p.m. this Saturday-Monday, April 14-16, and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday, April 17, at the Jacob Building, Chilhowee Park, 3301 E. Magnolia Ave. Proceeds from the sale benefit the Knox County Library. Info: knoxfriends.org or call 865-215-8775.

FARRAGUT

Meeting brings Swan farm resolution closer

Margie Hagen, Shopper News correspondent

There will be development of the Swan farm; the questions of how and when to proceed were subjects of discussion at the staff/developer meeting on April 3. Town staff and aldermen met with SITE Inc. applicant David Robinette, Belle Investments CEO Travis Fuller and Robyn Askew, attorney from the law firm Lewis, Thomason, King, Krieg & Waldrop.

Staff/developer meetings provide a more informal forum than Municipal Planning Commission and Board of Mayor and Aldermen meetings. They are work sessions, allowing both sides to weigh in with their thoughts and try to hammer out details. It’s an opportunity for all parties to gather more information and direction.

The sticking point is whether to rezone now or wait until the completion of the renovation of Union Road; anyone who has traveled it realizes the need for major improvement. That project is underway in partnership with TDOT; estimated completion is somewhere around four years, according to Community Development Director Mark Shipley.

Local residents from Saddle Ridge and Fox Run have strongly opposed rezoning the Swan property until Union Road is completed, noting the road simply can’t handle more traffic in its current condition. Site Inc. owner Robinette, backed by Fuller and Askew, presented the case for approving the rezoning now.

The development group agreed to foot the bill for extending Way Station Trail north of Kingston Pike to Union Road and will pay for a traffic circle at the intersection. This would provide another access; no matter what, portions of Union Road will be closed during pavement and bridge work.

Robinette cited the length of time needed to pass plans through municipal approval and prepare to break ground, saying, “If everything went perfectly it’s still a long-term play, at least one year. It can all work together. If you wait, that delays development.” He also noted that the town will save money from right-of-way acquisition.

As with all construction, time is money. Robinette said, “The timing is correct for the town’s long-range plan,” adding, “the roads will be sufficient. We need to close (the sale) now and we can’t close without assurances from the town.”

As for the makeup of the mixed-use development, Town Administrator David Smoak said, “We want to stay away from big box stores.” Belle Investments CEO Fuller responded, “They (big box stores) are beating down our doors, but we don’t want them. We want to create a unique neighborhood.”

Fuller’s company specializes in ‘boutique’ developments of multifamily residential with light commercial, targeting areas with projected growth. He is looking to attract smaller footprint retail stores like Aldi, and restaurants like Texas Roadhouse and a coffee house like Starbucks. That’s not to say those particular businesses will come in, it’s just an example of what the developers want to see on that site. Expect to see this on an upcoming MPC agenda.

As mind slips away, love endures

His eyes are fixed on something I can’t see. I watch him for a minute, trying to see what he sees, to understand where his mind goes when his dementia takes him away from us.

“Are you feeling OK, Dad?” I ask, hoping to bring him back. He smiles at me as if he just noticed I was there. “My health is good, but my behavior’s bad.” It’s his standard answer; my Dad’s go-to joke. I hear it at least 10 times a day, but I don’t mention that. I just give him my automatic reply. “Well, I wouldn’t want you any other way.”

He laughs and says, “That’s good because I’m almost 90 years old. It’s too late for me to change.” For a minute, his eyes glaze over and I think I’ve lost him again, but he looks up and says, “Do you know I’ve been married for 63 years? To the same woman?” The last part is another one of his jokes. I shake my head and smile.

“Lucky you," I respond, “Mom’s pretty great.” That’s the right answer. It’s his cue to tell me his favorite story.

“When I met your mother, it was like we were made for each other. We were engaged three months after we met. How long was it before we were married, do you remember?”

“Six months, Dad. You were married just six months after you met.”

He nods and goes on. “I asked her to dance at a wedding. We danced so beautifully together. We fit together perfectly. It’s like that sometimes, if you’re lucky. You meet someone and you just know it’s right. Your mother and I were like that.”

My mom walks in the room and his eyes light up. “I was wondering where you were.”

She looks tired. I pour her a cup of coffee while she takes a seat next to my dad. “I was packing up for the ride home tomorrow,” she says. He doesn’t notice how exhausted she is and he doesn’t offer to help. The part of my dad that shared the workload has left and it isn’t coming back. What remains is his adoration, it’s where his mind goes and stays. “I love you,” he whispers. “I love you too,” she whispers back.

“We’ve been married 63 years,” he says to her. “Sixty-four,” she corrects. He scoots his chair closer to her, erasing the space between them. “My father loved you right away,” he says. “He knew we were perfect for each other.”

My dad’s love for my mother is deep and strong but I wonder if it weighs a lot. I wonder if it’s too much for my mom to carry by herself. She looks up and our eyes meet. I want to help ease her burdens, but I’m not sure how. I do the easy things, the things I know how to do. I wash a load of clothes and help her pack her suitcase. I bring her coffee.

The next morning, I creep into their bedroom for their 7:30 wake-up call. They look small in the pile of blankets. My dad has his arms around my mother, his head is resting on her chest. He’s hugging her in his sleep and she’s hugging him right back.

I stare at them for a moment and I see everything. I see their first dance. I see the business they started together. I see the four children they raised. I see 64 years of marriage. And I see a love that’s strong enough to endure even my father’s dementia.